Animal-trap.



No. 897,761. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 1908.

A. MENZ. ANIMAL TRAP.

' n .6 APPLICATION FILED D o ,1907 2 SHEETVEHEET IL Wi in up 1H: NORRISPETERS cm, WASHINGTON, o. c,

No. 897,761.. PATENTED SEPT. 1, 190s.

- A. MENZ.

ANIMAL TRAP.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.6,1907.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I/Vi ha zoom afiormu THE NORRIS PETERS co, WASHINGION, v. c.

ANGELO MENZ, OF NEWPORT NEWS, VIRGINIA.

ANIMAL-TRAP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 1, 1908.

Application filed. December 6, 1907. Serial No. 405,416.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANGELO MENz, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Newport News, in the county of War wick and Stateof Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Animal Traps,of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to animal traps, and one of the principal objectsof the same is to rovide means whereby the captured animal will set thetrap for the next one and in which the bait while in sight of the animalcannot be eaten by the victims caught in the trap.

Another object of the invention is to provide a trap of simpleconstruction in which a number of animals may be caught without settingthe trap or being required to furnish new bait.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is aperspective View of an animal trap made in accordance with my invention.Fig. 2 is a central front to rear section of the same. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section on the line 33, Fig. 2, looking in the directionindicated by the arrow. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4,Fig. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow.

Referring to the drawings for a more specific description of myinvention, the numeral 1 designates the body portion of the trap, andextending in front of the portion 1 is an entrance vestibule 2comprising converging sides each having an opening 3 therein, saidopening being covered by a wire cloth screen 4. A wire cloth screen 5extends from near the front to the back of the vestibule and providesupon opposite sides of the entrance a bait chamber 6 designed to befilled with bait which is always within. sight of an animal through thewindows or apertures 3 and also within the vestibule through the screen5. Hinged doors 7 cover the tops of the bait chambers 6. A tiltingplatform 8 is pivoted at 9 to a lug 10 secured to the floor of thevestibule. Connected to the tilting platform 8 is a wire bail 11, saidbail being rigidly secured to the platform at its lower ends and the twolegs of said bail extending through slots 12 in the rounded top 13 ofthe vestibule. Connected to the bail 11 is a trigger 14 designed toengage a projection 15 formed on a sliding door 16, said door beingfitted in guideways 17 in the opposite sides of the vestibule. The dooris supported from above by a chain or other flexible connection 18connected to a lever 19, said lever having a loop 20 formed therein, andsaid loop 20 engaging a similar loop 21 formed upon a supporting bracket22 secured to the sides of the ody portion of the trap, as shown morepar ticularly in Fig. 1. On the rear end of the lever 19 is a cross bar23, and connected to said cross bar are a pair of links 24, said linksextending through slots 25 in the top of the trap. The links 24 arepivotally connected at 26 to a door 27 hinged at 28 inside the trap 1,and an inlet opening 29 is formed in the front wall of the trap, and awire cloth guard 30 extends above the opening and down to the upper sideof the vestibule, said guard being substantially semi-circular insection and opening into the vestibule at its lower end. Within thevestibule the front wall of the trap is provided with a series of steps31 which will permit an animal to climb up and enter through the opening29.

Fitted to slide in the back of the trap is a metal casing 32 providedwith suitable handles 33. The casing 32 has an open upper end, and thedoor 27 falls within the casing 32 when the door 16 is raised.

The operation of my invention may be briefly described as follows: Ananimal attracted by the odor of the bait will pass into the vestibuleand upon the platform 8. As the platform tilts backwardly the trigger 14is withdrawn from under the projection 15, and the door 16 drops bygravity and closes the entrance to the vestibule. When the door 16 isclosed the door 27 is raised up ward to a substantially horizontalplane.

As the animal ascends the stairs in the guard 30 and passes into theaperture 29 on to the door 27 the latter is tipped to the position shownin Fig. 2 to drop the animal into the casing 32. As the door 27 drops itraises the ,door 16, and the trigger 14 is moved under the projection 15by means of form pivoted in the vestibule, a bail carried trap portion,and a hinged door ,towhich 10 by the platform, a trigger connected tothe said links are connected. bail, a sliding door held open by thetrigger, In testimony whereof I afiix my signature a lever, 3 chainll(iorinectefil to said leger and in presence of two witnesses.

5 to said oor, a ai at t e to o t e main trap portion and provided witha T-shaped ANGELO MENZ' head, said lever being supported upon said baillinks supported upon said head and passing through slots in the top ofthe main Witnesses:

WM. VossiLA, G. GUAGUoLI.

